Starting out as an independent artist can feel like wrestling a whole industry by yourself. I’ve been there, excited, confused, insecure, overconfident, underprepared… all at once. Looking back, I made a bunch of mistakes that slowed my growth and made the journey harder than it had to be.

Here are five big mistakes I made early on, and what you can learn from them so your path can be smoother, clearer, and less painful than mine.

1. Talking Down My Own Success

When I first started getting numbers, I wasn’t in a good place mentally. I didn’t feel like I deserved any of it. Because the streams came from study-playlists instead of hardcore fans, I convinced myself it “didn’t count.” I even made a public post downplaying my own achievements.

Looking back, that mindset did nothing for me.

Lesson: When something goes well, celebrate it. Be grateful. Momentum matters, and confidence grows from acknowledging your wins, not crushing them. Don’t make people feel weird for supporting you. Roll with the blessings.

2. Spending Money, Not Investing It

When the first streaming payouts hit my bank account, I blew a lot of it, partying, distractions, whatever numbed things at the time. What stings is imagining how far that money could’ve taken me if I had invested it in skills, gear, or relationships.

Lesson:Invest in anything that makes you better:

• learning

• equipment

• your setup

• your health

• your relationships

  
  

  And remember: invested money usually comes back. Spent money doesn’t.

3. Breaking My Consistency

When the scene became more competitive and labels began dominating playlists, my response wasn’t to get better, it was to get discouraged. Instead of creating my own lane, I stopped releasing.

Momentum died. And momentum is everything now.

Lesson: Stay consistent even when the game shifts. Especially when the game shifts. You don’t need to match what others are doing, you need to keep showing up.

4. Trying to Sound Like Other Artists

When my numbers dipped, I abandoned my creative instincts and started chasing trends, trying to sound like producers who were currently winning.

It didn’t work. It never works.

Lesson: You can’t out-do someone at being them.But no one can out-do you at being you.

Your originality is your long-term leverage.Trends fade, identity doesn’t.

5. Having Unrealistic Expectations

For a long time, I released a song and immediately expected it to “do well.” When it didn’t, I spiraled, doubting myself, slowing down, losing momentu

m.

But here’s the truth: Most music doesn’t pop immediately. Most things don’t “blow up.” And that’s okay.

Lesson: Drop heavy expectations. Release → move on → release → move on.

If you plan far ahead and stack releases, your emotional stability won’t depend on one single track.

What I’d Do Differently

If I could rewind the clock, I’d flip every mistake upside down:

1. Celebrate wins instead of downplaying them

2. Invest instead of just spending

3. Stay consistent, even when discouraged

4. Be myself instead of imitating others

5. Release with zero expectations and keep going

Success as an independent artist takes patience, momentum, and self-belief. I hope my mistakes help you avoid some unnecessary pain and move smarter, faster, and more confidently.

Much love, and keep going. You’re building something real.